Liv Bergen lives a small quiet life of managing a limestone mine in Colorado. It may not be the life that many women would seek out, but Liv enjoys what she does and would have it no other way.
Then a young female employee of the mine is found murdered and suddenly Liv’s life is anything but quiet. The mine soon becomes a part of the crime scene and police and FBI are coming around with questions. Then Liv’s former classmate, now FBI Profiler, Lisa comes into town and takes residence at Liv’s home when all the hotels are full. Soon Liv discovers that the crimes are too close to home and she can either sit back and wait to see what will happen next or she can work on being part of the solution.
As Liv starts looking at clues, she discovers she has a sort of knack for putting things together and the murdered may soon find that Liv Bergen is his worst nightmare.
I first met author Sandra Brannon in New York in 2010 at the Book Expo. It was a short time before this, her first book was about to be released and Sandra was a little nervous and I instantly took a liking to her. As Jill at Rhapsody In Books recently said in a review, “You can not meet this author and not like her immediately”.
In The Belly Of Jonah was a good solid mystery. I love it when fiction teaches me something and I learned a little bit about mining, and even a little about forensics. This book is a great fast paced read that is never over the top out there (and that can be scary!) but feels like a good level mystery with awesome good guys, and of course the notorious bad guy.
I enjoyed the book so much and like it when a book takes me from the pages to my laptop to look at words and scenes more closely. While In The Belly Of Jonah is written as a series, it is just as easily a stand alone read. I for one enjoyed it so much I want to jump into the second book now – and it may please you to know that three books in the series are currently available: Lots Return To Sodom, and Widow’s Might.
The Bookies Review…
I was thrilled when my book club chose In The Belly Of Jonah for our January 2013 read . I was also thrilled when Sandra offered to SKYPE with us! It was out first SKYPE with an author and it was a lot of fun! The girls really enjoyed talking with Sandra. It was fun to hear about her back ground in mining and her characters and who they may be designed after.
Sandra had sent us a goodie box:
and in it was chocolate rocks for each of us (ahhhhhhh!!!!) and she sent us ingredients to make a drink:
This is the makings of a “hairy buffalo” which Sandra says is like a Colorado Bulldog but with chocolate milk. 😛 When Sandra was in the cities in September I went out to dinner with her and a girl from my book club and introduced her to the Colorado Bulldog. This was a fun gift that we will try next month. 😀 Thanks Sandra – you are funny and amazing!
Another fun moment of the evening was when one of the girls n out book club decided to reveal a little secret by making her own book cover:
Very creative! Laura is pregnant and she announced it to out book club with this cover… Sandra loved this!
and finally, we had a great group picture that we took for Sandra but really – I like it too 😀
ps… if you are wondering about the doll… we reenacted a crime. Enough said. 😉
Book Journey 
Sounds like a great book and a fantastic book club meeting. I’m very curious about that drink.
I am too Kathy. We are going to sample it next book club. 🙂
Wow, so many of you. Great way to announce the pregnancy, love that. Everyone says Sandra is an amazing author to get to know, how lovely to hear.
I enjoyed this one too.
It was an awesome book review and we had a great turn out, only missing a few members!
Oh, I was so interested as to the contents of the BOX! So happy Sandra did not disappoint!
Many congrats to Laura!! I have never met you, but I loved, loved, loved, being pregnant, I’m so jealous of you right now! Best of luck to you and the peanut!
Sheila, you have the best book club!
Thanks Alison! I think so, but I am bias 😀
“In the belly of Laura” … I love it!
It was fun! I thought Laura was so smart to think of it.
What funyou guys had!
We did Lisa! 😀
How fun that she sent you all chocolate rocks! And any drink with Kahlua has to be good, in my opinion! I hope she includes the recipe in her next book! :–)
It was fun – the girls loved it Jill. She had to send me the recipe as it was new to me 😀
What a great way to announce her pregnancy! Sounds like you had a great time, as always. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the book, too!
It was fun and it was fun to share that moment with Sandra – she loved it! 🙂
This sounds like a fabulous book club. I want to check out this Colorado Bulldog drink – I’ve never heard of it before!
The Bulldog is delicious! And yeah, I do love my book club. 😀
I think the book sounds very intriguing…I wouldn’t have picked it up based on the title alone, so I’m glad to have read your review. You bookies always make such a fun event out of your reading….thanks for sharing.
I read it because I met Sandra… if you meet Sandra… then you have to read it 😀
I really do want to read this series, Michelle of red headed book child, has been raving about them for a while now.
Yes! I think you should Ryan! I am excited to dive into he second one now 🙂
I don’t think I’ve heard of this book before, but it sound like it’s my cup of tea having read your review. It sounds like your book group had a great deal of fun with this one! 🙂
I hope you try this book! Our books club always tends to have fun… we have a great group and I look forward to each month and what they will think of next 😀